Hexed

back to the office door. I remembered one last detail before we left the scene: I had to get rid of any blood that may have dropped after Basasael stabbed me. I found a few drops near the wall, not as much as I’d feared; it had mostly been soaked up by my shirt. I grabbed a few handfuls of water from the continuing runoff and washed it away, erasing evidence for the coming forensics specialists and leaving nothing behind for witches.
    The bell rang, signaling the end of class and beginning of lunchtime. Since the school was in lockdown, the kids would remain in class and simply go hungry for a while. But they’d be safe now.
    Feeling pretty good about ourselves, the two of us walked back through the office building to our stolen SUV waiting in the drop-off zone. It was surrounded by police cars. Oh well.
    We kept the camouflage on and walked south, thoroughly drenched and starting to get cold. » There’s another high school just south o’ the freeway, « Coyote explained once we were a safe distance from the office, lazily gesturing down Crismon Road. » It’s called Desert Ridge. Parkin’ lot full o’ unattended cars there to steal. «
    » Think I’ll just call myself a taxi at that convenience store there, « I replied, pointing to a friendly red-and-white logo glowing dimly through the rain. » I’ve caused enough grief for high school students today. These poor Skyline—what are they? « I couldn’t think of their mascot, and I turned back to their marquee sign to check. It said HOME OF THE COYOTES, and I swore in Old Irish with such prolixity my father would have been proud.
    Coyote was already laughing and putting distance between us. He knew I’d be annoyed at being tricked, and I was.
    » Not in your house, eh? Did one of the Diné even die back there? « I challenged him. » You lied to me about that maiden gettin’ eaten, didn’t you? «
    » Yep, only white people died. « Coyote grinned wickedly. » But I didn’t wanna let you wait aroun’ until one o’ my people became his breakfast, because I do have some o’ my people at this school and I did wanna protect ’em. «
    » So you put me at tremendous risk? I wasn’t really ready to confront this guy. I wanted to take him on at my place of power on my own terms. «
    » Now don’ be mad, Mr. Druid. I helped you take care of a big problem. You mighta not made it if it weren’t for me. «
    » Yeah, what about that? You took your sweet time getting ’round to helpin’ when he came after me. «
    » Well, y’know, I just couldn’t resist doin’ it the way I did it. You know how people are always threatenin’ to shove this or that up someone’s ass, but they never really do it? Well, now there’s a new story gonna be told ’round the fire: ‘How Coyote Shoved an Arrow Up a Fallen Angel’s Ass.’ Can’t wait to hear myself tell it! An’ don’t you worry, Mr. Druid, I’ll make sure to include how I got the best o’ you! « He melted into his animal form and trotted off into the rain, yipping his merriment and grinning back at me over his shoulder.

Chapter 10
    I spent most of the cab ride home muttering about thrice-cursed trickster gods, but by the end of it I was smiling in spite of myself. I wasn’t the first guy who’d been tricked by Coyote, and I wouldn’t be the last. I’d actually gotten off pretty lightly, walking away with nothing more than a flesh wound.
    Lunch with Oberon was unusually relaxing, perhaps because I’d rid myself of a large piece of unfinished business. My hound had five Weisswurst sausages, and I had peanut butter and orange marmalade on wheat with a glass of milk. Oberon wanted to discuss what he’d seen in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest , how Nurse Ratched was really the Man and how Wavy Gravy would have shown her a thing or two if he’d been there. He wanted to talk about where Chief Bromden went at the end, whether I thought he went back to the Columbia River or whether he might have gone out to fight against the Combine. He also, very somberly, wanted to talk about end-of-life decisions.
    › If the Man ever cuts out half my brain and I’m a vegetable like McMurphy, ‹ he said, › then I want you to do what Chief did, okay? ‹
    I didn’t know what to say. Chief had smothered McMurphy with a pillow. I unexpectedly teared up just thinking about it and scratched him behind the ears. Then that wasn’t enough, so I squatted down and gave him a hug. Oberon didn’t know it, but he had